Printing press sheet feeding mechanism



March 13, 1962 G. F. BRYANT PRINTING PRESS SHEET FEEDING MECHANISM 2Sheets--SheerJ 1 INV EN TOR Filed May l5, 1959 ATTQRNEYS March 13, 1962G. F. BRYANT 3,025,055

PRINTING PRESS SHEET FEEDING MECHANISM Filed May 13, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet2 INVENTOR efeldf Y ATTORNEYS ire Free

3,025,055 PRINTENG PRESS SHEET FEEDENG MECHANSM Gerald F. Bryant, 711Central Ave., Palmetto, Fla. Filed May 13, 1959, Ser. No. 813,018 8Claims. (Cl. 27l-59) This invention relates to sheet guiding mechanismsfor presses and more particularly to sheet side guide mechanisms forodset presses.

Known types of presses are equipped with push type side guides forguiding sheets into an offset press. These devices employ a side guidebar with tapped holes and guides located on the bar by screws whichselectively engage these tapped holes. In order to adjust the guide fordifferent size sheets, the screws are removed and inserted in differentones of the tapped holes. The guide also has a micrometer adjustmentwhich may be used to move the sheet into register. Two of these sideguides are supplied with the press, one for the feeder side and one forthe gear side. These guides must be individually located with respect tothe tapped holes and each acljusted by individual micrometers. Furtheradjustments can be made only when the press is stopped.

In locating the side guides, the operator jogs the sheet down to thehead stops or front guides. The operator continues to jog the pressuntil the side guide bar continues its stroke toward the center of thepress and stops. The side guide to be employed is then located so thatit will be square with the sheet and will move the sheet sidewise apredetermined distance, for example, da of an inch. If the sheets are tobe fed through a second time, such as to print on the reverse side ofthe paper, then the guide on the gear side must be located. Toaccomplish this the operator must walk around the press, reach into thepress with a wrench, remove the side guide holding screw and move it toa new tapped hole and secure it in position by means of the Wrench.Finally, the operator must adjust the micrometer adjustment on the gearside and return to the feeder side and operate the press.

This type of sheet feeder mechanism, and particularly this type of sideguide, exhibits numerous disadvantages. For example, these side guidesare subject to numerous types of important operation. Since the sideguide bar has numerous holes passing through the bar, it is possible fordirt to enter these holes and prevent the guide bar from working free inthe slot. Further, the nuts employed to lock the side guides onto theside guide bar are inaccessible and either a long wrench is required toreach down through the dampening unit or it is necessary to move thedampening unit from over the side guide bar to permit locking of thesenuts with a wrench. Further, it is possible that the side guides mightnot be securely fastened to the guide bar. Accordingly, play would existbetween the movement of the side guide and the side guide bar, causingimproper guiding of the sheets. Further, the operators often strip thethreads on the nuts which secure the side guides to the side guide barand these nuts work loose and go through the press, causing numerousholes to be dug in the cylinders. Still further, it is possible that theside guides may not be square with the front guides and, accordingly,the paper would be positioned to go through the press at an angle.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improvedsheet guiding mechanism which obviates the above mentioneddisadvantages.

It is another object of this invention to provide a press with a guidingmechanism such that both side guides can be accurately positioned fromthe feeder side of the press.

It is another object of this invention to provide a sheet guidingmechanism which permits easy, accurate and rapid adjustment.

It is another object of this invention to provide a sheet guidingmechanism for a press which obviates the necessity for locking andreleasing the side guide securing mechanism.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a sheet guidingmechanism with a pair of side guides, both of which may be finelyadjusted from the feeder side of the press and may be adjusted whilesheets are being fed through the press.

Briefly, in accordance with aspects of this invention, a sheet guidingmechanism is provided with a bar on which a pair of side guides areslidably mounted. The bar is provided with a pair of locking screws oneither side of one of the bar supporting posts so that the bar may bemoved short distances relative to the posts and lockedjin thesetranslated positions to thus control the tine adjustment of either ofthe side guides from the feeder side. This adjustment may be made whilesheets are being fed through the press. Advantageously, a tine scale maybe marked on the side of the bar so that accurate, tine adjustments maybe easily made.

In accordance with other aspects of this invention, the side guides areprovided with a surface which acts as a hold-down nger so that two ofthe hold-down ngers normally employed on the press may be obviated.Thus, it will be unnecessary to move the hold-down ngers out of the pathof the side guides when the side guides are being adjusted.

In accordance with other aspects of this invention, a hand Wheel isconnected to a threaded rod and the threaded rod passes through thecarriage track, or carriage supporting rod. Advantageously, the carriagetrack has a slot extending throughout its length to permit the sideguide supporting carriages to engage the threads on the threaded rod.Accordingly, rotation of the handwheel located on the feeder side of thepress causes both of the side guides to move relative to the carriagetrack. Advantageously, the threaded rod is reversedly threaded from thecenter, that is, the threads run in opposite directions from the centerof the rod such that rotation of the threaded rod causes both of theguides to move in the same direction relative to the center line of thepress.

In accordance with still other aspects of this invention, the side guidesupporting carriage has a C-shaped nylon shoe which encircles thecarriage track 26 and a locking nut is employed to apply pressureradially of the C- shaped shoe in a direction toward the threaded rodsuch that the carriage may be quickly and easily released from thethreaded rod and moved to a new position relative to the threaded rod,at which new position the locking nut is employed to Secure the C-shapedshoe to the threaded rod such that rotation of the threaded rod willagain control the positioning of the side guide.

ln accordance with still other aspects of this invention, the threadedrod is splined on the end which engages the drive wheel or drive handlesuch that the rod may be moved transversely with respect to the drivewheel by means of the micrometer lock nuts located adjacent the guiderod supporting head or bushing.

ln accordance with further aspects of this invention, the side guide hasa configuration which corresponds to the outer contour of the side ouidesupporting carriage such that the side guide may snap onto the carriage.Advantageously, the side guide is provided with a locking plate whichmay he employed to lock the side guide onto the carriage. Accordingly,it is easy to remove the side guide not in use from the carriage forthe: purpose of running a sheet out of center of the press. This means 3that, in the event it is necessary to remove the guide not in use due tothe sheet being run off-center of the feed -board to maintain printingposition on the sheet, this is accomplished by unsnapping the guide.Unless this occurs, it is not necessary to remove the guides at anytime.

Accordingly, it is a feature of this invention to provide a sheetguiding mechanism for a press with a side guide supporting bar, a pairof side guides mounted on the supporting `bar and an arrangement fortransversely moving the supporting bar relative to the press so thateither one of the side guides are accurately positioned from the feederside of the press.

It is a further feature of this invention to mount a pair of side guideson a side guide supporting bar to provide these side guides withindividual screws passing through the side guides to engage thesupporting bar and thus provide for individual primary adjustment ofthepositioning of the side guides relative to the supporting bar.

It is another feature of this invention to provide a sheet guidingmechanism with a pair of bushings, a side guide supporting bar slidablymounted in the bushings, a pair of side guides individually secured tothe supporting bar and a pair of threaded nuts engaging the supportingbar on either side of one of the bushings such that adjustments of thesethreaded nuts translate the position of the supporting bar relative tothe bushings to thereby accomplish tine adjust-ment of a predeterminedone of the side guides.

It is still another feature of this invention to provide a side guidewith a surface corresponding to that of a holddown finger such that thecontoured surface is always in a position of co-operation with the sideguide, thus eliminating the necessity of two of the hold-down fingersand insuring proper guiding of the sheets regardless of the thicknesso-f the sheets.

It is another feature of this invention to provide a sheet guidingmechanism with a pair of bushings, a side guide supporting bar slidablymounted in the bushings, a pair of side guides slidably mounted on thesupporting bar and a screw device for simultaneously moving Yboth of theside guides in the same direction relative -to the center of the press.

It is another feature of this invention to provide a sheet guidingmechanism with a side guide supporting rod and a threaded rod for movingboth of the side guides in the same direction relative to the center ofthe press by rotation of the threaded rod. The threaded rod is splinedon one end to permit transverse movement of the -rod relative to thebushing supporting the rod, thus permitting a tine adjustment of apredetermined one of the side guides relative to the center of thepress.

It is another feature of this invention to provide a sheet guidingmechanism with a side guide supporting carriage which rides upon asupporting rod, which carriage is provided with a locking screw movablein a radial direction with respect to the threaded rod to securelyengage a nylon C-shaped member against the carriage track, therebycausing the carriage to be translated relative to the vcenter line ofthe press when the threaded rod is rotated.

It is another feature of this invention to provide a lsheet guidingmechanism with a side guide supporting rod, which rod has a slotextending the length of the rod to permit the side guide supportingcarriage to project through the slot and engage the threaded rod Withinthe support rod, thus causing the carriage to be translated relative tothe supporting rod in response to rotation of the threaded rod.

It is a still further feature of this invention to provide a side guidesupporting carriage with a side guide which can be readily removed fromthe carriage, replaced on the carriage and locked into position.

It is still another feature of this invention to provide a printingpress side guide `mechanism with a carriage track, a pair of carriageson the track, a side guide removably mounted on each carriage and a rodthreaded in opposite directions `from the center and coupled to each ofthe carriages for movement of the carriages in the same directionrelative to the center of the rod in response to rotation of the rod,one side guide being removed from its carriage depending upon which sideof the sheet is used for registration.

These and various other objects and features of this invention will bemore clearly understood from the reading of the detailed description ofthis invention in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

FIG. l is a view in elevation of one illustrative ernbodiment in thisinvention showing in full lines the side guide mechanism, and in dottedlines the handle for adjusting the side guide mechanism;

FIG. 2 is a plan View of the full line portions of FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a view in elevation partly in section of the handle mechanismfor adjusting the side guides;

FIG. 4 is a side view in elevation of the side guide mechanism showingits mounting on the register plate;

FIG. 5 is a side view, partly in section of portions of the press withportions of the guiding mechanism removed; and

FIG. 6 is a side view in section taken along the lines 6 6 of FIG. l.

Referring now to FIGURES l and 2, there are depicted views in elevationand plan respectively, of one illustrative embodiment of this invention.rI'his embodiment includes a pair of mounting posts 1) and 12 secured toopposite ends of the side guide bar 14 by suitable means (not shown).

As is well known in the art, the side guide bar 14 reciprocates in adirection transverse to the direction in which the sheet is being fed,each time that a sheet is fed into the roller.

A suitable ball bearing 1S is mounted in mounting post 1t) and is heldin position by a suitable locking screw 16.

A threaded rod 18 passes through the bearing 15 and extendssubstantially throughout the length of the carriage track 20.Advantageously, the carriage track 20 -is mounted in mounting posts 1()and 12 and has a transverse slot 21 extending the entire length of thecarriage track 20 to permit cooperation of the threaded rod 18 andcarriages 22 and 23 slidably mounted on the carriage track 20 in amanner which will be substantially explained. The pair of locking nuts25 are provided on the rod or carriage track 20 and threadably engagethe carriage track 20 on either side of mounting post 12.

The purpose of these locking nuts is to initially position the carriagetrack 20 and secure it in this position. After the rod 20 is secured inthis initial position, the locking nuts 25 are tightened against themounting post 12 and locking screw 16 in mounting post 10 is tightened.All subsequent positioning of the side guide car-riages 22 and 23, andthe side guides 3Q and 32 connected thereto, respectively, isaccomplished by rotation of the threaded rod 18.

Advantageously, rod 18 is threaded in opposite directions from thecenter of the rod, such that rotation of the handle by means of thehandle 34 shown in dotted lines, will cause carriages 22 and 23 to movein the same direction relative to the center of the rod. For example, ifthe handle 34 is rotated in a clockwise direction, carriages 22 and 23will move away from the center of rod 18. Similarly, counter-clockwiserotation of rod 18 causes carriages 22 and 23 to move towards the centerof the rod 18.

As best seen in FIGURE v3, the side of the press 36 supports a dial 37which is secured to the press by suitable means such as by threaded bolt3S, as shown. A fiber washer 40, a spring tension washer 42, and a snaplock ring 43 are positioned in that order between the dial 37 and theside of the press 36 to permit rotation of the collar 44, which issecured to the handle 34. Advantageously, the end of threaded rod 1S issplined at 45 and engages the similar splined aperture in the sleeve 44,such that sleeve 44 and rod 18 will be rotated in response to rotationof the handle 34, while transverse movement of the rod 18 relative tothe sleeve 44 is permitted. This translation takes place during theinitial tine adjustment of the carriage track 20 previously described,and also during each reciprocation of the side guide bar 14. Aspreviously mentioned, side guide bar 14 reciprocates each time a sheetis fed into the impression rollers. A lock bushing 46 and a lock nut 47engaging the outer periphery of bushing 46 are employed to lock thebushing 46 on sleeve 44.

The accuracy of the setting of handle 34 is facilitated by the indicatorarm 37, which counter balances the handle 34 and depends from the handle34 in the region of dial 37. It is of course understood that one sideguide is employed at a time, depending on which side of the sheet is tobe employed for achieving registration. The other side guide may bedisengaged from its carriage in a manner which will be subsequentlydescribed, or alternatively the carriage may be disengaged from thethreaded rod 18 and moved to an extreme terminal position out of thepath of the sheet being fed in a manner which will also be subsequentlydescribed. If at any time it is desired to adjust one of the side guides30 or 32, the handle .H4 is rotated to rotate the threaded rod 24 untilthe desired position of the side guides 30 or 32 is achieved.

Advantageously, the side guides, such as guide 30, are provided with aside guide locking plate Si) as best seen in FIGURES 1 and 4. The sideguide 30 and the lock plate 50 are provided with apertures to receivepins such as 52 and 53 projecting from the side of carriage 22. When theside guide locking plate 50 is raised, the holes or apertures in theside guide locking plate 27 are aligned with the holes of the side guide30, when the side guide is placed on these pins such as 52 and 53, thelocking plate is depressed to engage the ends of pins 52 and 53 and thussecure the side guide 30 in position. A similar locking plate isprovided on side guide 32 to engage the pins 54 depending from carriage33 and is best seen in FIGURE l. This disengageable arrangement of thecarriage and side guide `facilitates an oit-center running of sheets. Inother words, one of the side guides is removed by raising the lockingplate 50 and the other side guide is employed to position the sheet.

As best seen in FIGURE 6, the carriage 23 has a thread nut 56 whichthreadably engages a shaft 58 positioned radially with respect tocarriage track 20. Advantageously, the threaded rod 53 engages a nylonC-shaped shoe 60 and presses shoe 60 into engagement with car- Iiagetrack 2t). The carriage 23 has a tongue 62 which projects into the slot21 and the rod or carriage track 20. Tongue `62 threadably engages thethreads of the rod 18 when the nut 56 is rotated to drive the shaft 58and the nylon collar into cooperation with the rod or carriage track2t). If however, the threaded nut is released or rotated in the oppositedirection moving the rod 58 radially away from the carriage track 20,the nylon `shoe l60 is disengaged from the rod 2l) and the tongue 62 isdisengaged from the threads of the rod 1S. It is now possible to freelymove the carriage 23 relative to the rod 20 such as for an initial orprimary adjustment of the positioning of the side guide 32 or for movingthe side guide 32 to its extreme terminal position.

When the primary adjustment is achieved, the threaded nut 56 is againtightened to drive the tongue 62 into engagement with the threaded rod24 and adjustment of the carriage 23 relative to the carriage rack 20may now be achieved by rotation of the handle 34, which adjustment maybe accomplished while the press is running. Advantageously, the threadedrod 18 may have a prescribed number of threads per inch such that onerevolution of the handle 34 will move the side guide 32 a predetermineddistance. For example, if there are eight threads per inch on the rod118, then the side guide 32 will move 1A; of an inch per revolution ofthe handle 34.

FIGURE 5 shows a side view of a portion of the press in which the sideguide is placed. The corrugating bar 63 is supported by a pair ofarcuate arms 65. The side guide bar 14 reciprocates in a channel inregister plate 66 into and out of the viewing plane as viewed in FIG-URE 5. The arcuate ends of the side guides 30 and 32 extend beneath thecorrugating bar 63 as best seen in FIGURES l and 2. The impressioncylinder `68 is positioned at the front edge of the register plate 66.The front guide 70 is positioned above the under tongue 72 of registerplate 66 and periodically moves into position to stop the sheet as thesheet moves forward towards the impression roller 68.

FIGURE 4 shows the register plate 66 with the side guide bar 14 shown inelevation and with the side guide 30 shown in its operative position inwhich the side guide 30 is secured to the carriage 22 by means of pinssuch as 52 and 53 and the locking plate 50 previously described.Advantageously, locking plate S0 may be provided with guide screws suchas 48 to guide the movement of the locking plate relative to the sideguide. If FIGURE 4 were superimposed on FIGURE 5 the` clearances andoperative relationships of the parts of this side guide would beapparent.

From the foregoing explanation, it will be apparent that these forms ofsheet guiding mechanisms Obviate the numerous disadvantages of the priorart devices by providing side guides which can both be accuratelyadjusted from the feeder side of the press and can accurately bepositioned without the use of tools while the operator manipulates thepress controls and observes the positioning of the side guides. It willalso be apparent that by eliminating the use of screws which threadablyengaged tapped holes in the `side guide bar, the possibility ofadmission of dirt through the side guide bar into the slot in theregister plate, and thus impeding the free movement of the guide bar,will be obviated. It will also be apparent that with this arrangement ofside guides on a side guide supporting bar the possible misalignmentofthe side guides relative to the direction of sheet feeding will beobviated.

While I have shown and described `various embodiments of my invention,it is understood that the principles thereof may be extended to many andvaried types of machines and apparatus. The invention, therefore, is notto be limited to the details illustrated and described here- 1n.

What is claimed is:

l. A sheet guiding mechanism for a printing press cornprising a sideguide bar mounted for reciprocation on said press each time a sheet isfed into the cylinders of the press, a pair of mounting posts connectedto said side guide bar in spaced relationship, carriage track meansmounted in said mounting posts, a carriage slidably mounted on saidcarriage track means, side guide means mounted on said carriage,translating and locking means for accurately positioning and lockingsaid carriage track means relative to said side guide bar, screw meanscoupled to said carriage for translating said carriage relative to saidcarriage track means when said carriage track means is locked relativeto said side guide bar.

2. A sheet guiding mechanism according to claim l further comprisingmeans for releasing said side guide means from said carriage.

3. A sheet guiding mechanism according to claim 1 wherein said screwmeans includes a threaded rod rotatably mounted in said carriage trackmeans and coupled to said carriage and handle means connected to saidrod for translating said side guide relative to said side guide bar inresponse to rotation of said handle means.

4. A sheet guiding mechanism according to claim 3 wherein said threadedrod extends substantially the entire length of said carriage track meansand is threaded in opposite directions from its center, a secondcarriage on the opposite side of the center of said rod from said tirstcarriage and having side guide means thereon, whereby rotation of saidthreaded rod causes translation of each of said side guide means in thesame direction relative to the center of the press.

5. A sheet guiding mechanism according to claim 4 wherein said handleincludes a crank arm, a pointer depending from said crank arm and scalemeans positioned adjacent the path of said pointer whereby rotation ofsaid crank arm accurately positions said side guide means relative tosaid side guide bar.

6. A printing press sheet guiding mechanism comprising a register plateon said press, a side guide bar reciprocally mounted on said registerplate, a pair of apertured mounting posts secured to said side guide barin spaced relationship, carriage track means slidably mounted in saidmounting posts, said carriage track means having a slot thereinextending the entire length thereof and screw means rotatably mounted insaid carriage track means, a carriage slidably mounted on said trackmeans and a `side guide connected to said carriage, a tongue-shapedportion on said carriage for engaging said screw means through said slotwhereby said carriage is translated along said carriage track means inresponse to rotation of said screw means.

7. A sheet guiding mechanism according to claim 6 wherein each carriagehas a longitudinally translatable shaft positioned radially of saidscrew means, translating means on said shaft, a sleeve positioned on theend of `said shaft to engage said carriage track means whereby actuationof said translating means causes said tongueshaped portion to engagesaid screw means.

8. A -sheet guiding mechanism according to claim 7 wherein said screwmeans includes a threaded rod having a spline on one end thereof andfurther comprises a splined collar engaging said splined rod, wherebyrotation of said splined collar rotates said threaded rod whilepermitting transverse movement of said carriage track means relative tosaid collar, said carriage track means being threaded on one endthereof, said mechanism including a pair of locking nuts threadablyengaging said track means on opposite sides of one of said mountingposts to permit the adjustment and locking of said carriage track meansrelative to said mounting posts.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS853,628 Dumrner May 14, 1907 1,464,945 Larson Aug. 14, 1923 1,503,492Dudley Aug. 5, 1924 2,052,829 Johnston Sept. l, 1936 2,696,983 AndersonDec. 14, 1954

